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Former Anambra State governor Peter Obi has called on the Nigerian government to rethink its taxation policy, saying current policies risk worsening hardship for citizens if they are not rooted in transparency and fairness.
The tax laws took effect on January 1, 2026, despite alleged alterations discovered by the National Assembly. Reacting to this, Obi, in a post on X on Friday, said economic prosperity could not be achieved by imposing heavier tax burdens on poor people.
“Government must be transparent and truthful because citizens deserve nothing less from those who lead them. True leaders do not exploit their people to enrich themselves and a few cronies; they build trust, unity, and shared purpose – the foundation of sustainable progress,” he said.
Obi, who contested in the 2023 presidential election, argued that taxation should operate as a social contract, with policies clearly explained to the public, including their impact on incomes and their role in national development.
“It is against this standard of honest leadership that Nigeria’s current approach to taxation must be measured. If taxation is to function as a genuine social contract, it must be rooted in sincerity, fairness, and concern for the welfare of the people,” Obi said.
He added that “Every tax policy should be clearly explained, including its impact on incomes and its expected contribution to national development.”
Obi also warned that without transparency, taxation becomes “a tool of confusion and burden rather than a mechanism for growth and development” and noted that “Nigeria must rethink taxation if it is serious about economic growth, national unity, and shared prosperity.”
The former governor said the purpose of fiscal policy should go beyond revenue generation.
“The purpose of sound fiscal policy is not merely to raise revenue; it is to make the people wealthier so that the nation itself becomes stronger,” he said, noting that Nigerians were currently being asked to pay taxes “without clarity, explanation, or visible benefit.”
According to him, “the solution begins with empowering small and medium-sized enterprises in every community. When small businesses thrive, jobs are created, incomes rise, and the tax base expands naturally.”
“You cannot tax your way out of poverty – you must produce your way out of it,” Obi said.
He also claimed that citizens were being asked to pay higher taxes “under this manipulated framework—without transparency, without explanation, and without corresponding benefits.”
